Ryan ten Doeschate likely to reunite with Gambhir in India coaching setup

In a surprising development, newly appointed India head coach Gautam Gambhir is pushing for the inclusion of former Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate in the national team's coaching staff.

This revelation comes shortly after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Gambhir as the successor to Rahul Dravid, whose tenure concluded following India's victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.

Gambhir, a key figure in India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup victories, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. His leadership skills are evident from guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 as a skipper, and most recently in 2024 as a mentor.

As per a Cricbuzz report, the potential addition of ten Doeschate, to India's backroom staff marks a departure from the BCCI's recent preference for an all-Indian coaching staff.

The 44-year-old's connection with Gambhir comes from their recent collaboration at KKR, where he served as the fielding coach during their title-winning 2024 season. His experience extends to roles with KKR's affiliates in various T20 leagues worldwide.

Also read: Gautam Gambhir’s first meeting with selectors to be held soon

Ryan taught me selflessness: Gambhir

Gambhir's admiration for the former Dutch cricketer was highlighted in a viral video, where he praised ten Doeschate's selflessness and team spirit. 

“When I talk about selflessness, I have never said this in 42 years of my career. And I wanted to say this. The greatest team man I ever played with, the most selfless human being, someone I can take a bullet for, someone who I can trust for life,” Gambhir had highlighted.

Further adding, “I can tell you this because in 2011, my first game as a KKR captain, we only had four overseas (players) available. And this man had a fabulous 50-over World Cup. And we went to that game with only three overseas players. He was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness. Ryan ten Doeschate (sic).”

Also Read: Make or break era ft. Gautam Gambhir

The potential role of ten Doeschate in the Indian setup remains under discussion. With the BCCI reportedly keen on retaining T Dilip as fielding coach, ten Doeschate might be considered for an assistant coach position. However, this scenario is complicated with reports floating about the inclusion of Abhishek Nayar in Gambhir's team, also eyeing an assistant coach role.